Severe weather is expected to lash the North Island today, with possible thunderstorms, gales of up to 120km/h in parts and heavy rain forecast to affect several regions.
Parts of the North Island may experience short periods of heavy rain and strong northwest winds this afternoon, according to MetService.
Northland, Auckland, the Coromandel Peninsula and Great Barrier Island were put under a yellow severe thunderstorm watch this morning, with a moderate risk of thunderstorms and localised downpours from 5pm on Sunday until 5am Monday.
“Thunderstorms are expected to enhance local rainfall rates (up to 25 mm per hour) and localised downpours will generate rainfall rates of 25 to 40 mm per hour.”
A yellow heavy rain watch also applies to Auckland, Northland, Waikato, Northern Taranaki, Taumarunui, Waitomo, and Taupo west of the lake.
MetService also issued an orange heavy rain warning for three separate areas – the Bay of Plenty east of Ōpōtiki, Taranaki Maunga, and the Tararua Range – alongside an orange strong wind warning for Wellington.
Winds of up to 120km/h were expected in the capital, with MetService saying damage to trees, powerlines and unsecured structures were possible.
In the South Island, most orange warnings issued earlier have since expired, with only road snowfall warnings remaining in Arthur’s Pass and Porters Pass until 7am on Monday.
